Aircraft propulsion system exhaust nozzle with ejector passage(s)

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for an aircraft propulsion system. This apparatus includes an exhaust nozzle. The exhaust nozzle includes a flowpath, a passage, an outer door, an inner door and an actuator configured to move the outer door and the inner door between an open arrangement and a closed arrangement. The flowpath extends axially along a centerline through the exhaust nozzle. The passage extends laterally into the exhaust nozzle to the flowpath when the outer door and the inner door are in the open arrangement. The outer door is configured to pivot inwards towards the centerline when the outer door moves from the closed arrangement to the open arrangement. The inner door is configured to pivot outwards away from the centerline when the inner door moves from the closed arrangement to the open arrangement.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for an aircraft propulsion system, comprising:
 an exhaust nozzle including a flowpath, a passage, an outer door, an inner door and an actuator configured to move the outer door and the inner door between an open arrangement and a closed arrangement; 
 the flowpath extending axially along a centerline through the exhaust nozzle; 
 the passage extending laterally into the exhaust nozzle to the flowpath when the outer door and the inner door are in the open arrangement; 
 the outer door configured to pivot inwards towards the centerline when the outer door moves from the closed arrangement to the open arrangement; and 
 the inner door configured to pivot outwards away from the centerline when the inner door moves from the closed arrangement to the open arrangement; 
 wherein the outer door closes an inlet to the passage when the outer door is in the closed arrangement; and 
 wherein the inner door closes an outlet from the passage when the inner door is in the closed arrangement. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust nozzle comprises a convergent-divergent nozzle. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust nozzle comprises an ejector nozzle. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a linear actuator. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust nozzle further includes a linkage system motively coupling the actuator to the outer door and the inner door. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the linkage system comprises a pushrod. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the linkage system comprises a crank. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the exhaust nozzle further includes a base structure, an outer crank and an outer linkage; 
 the outer crank includes an outer crank base, an outer crank first arm and an outer crank second arm, the outer crank base is pivotally connected to the base structure, and the outer crank first arm and the outer crank second arm each project out from the outer crank base; 
 the outer linkage is between and pivotally connected to the outer crank first arm and the outer door; and 
 the actuator is motively coupled with the outer crank second arm. 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the exhaust nozzle further includes a base structure and an inner crank; 
 the inner crank includes an inner crank base, an inner crank first arm and an inner crank second arm, the inner crank base is pivotally connected to the base structure, the inner crank first arm projects out from the base and is pivotally connected to the inner door, and the inner crank second arm projects out from the base and is pivotally connected to the actuator. 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein
 the exhaust nozzle further includes an outer crank, an outer linkage and an intermediate linkage; 
 the outer crank includes an outer crank base, an outer crank first arm and an outer crank second arm, the outer crank base is pivotally connected to the base structure, and the outer crank first arm and the outer crank second arm each project out from the outer crank base; 
 the outer linkage is between and pivotally connected to the outer crank first arm and the outer door; and 
 the intermediate linkage is between and pivotally connected to the outer crank second arm and the inner crank second arm. 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the inner door comprises a forward inner door, and the exhaust nozzle further includes an aft inner door pivotally connected to the forward inner door; 
 the actuator is further configured to move the aft inner door between the open arrangement and the closed arrangement; and 
 the aft inner door is configured to pivot outwards away from the centerline when the aft inner door moves from the closed arrangement to the open arrangement. 
 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of
 the outer door forms an inner peripheral boundary for flow outside of the exhaust nozzle when the outer door is in the closed arrangement; or 
 the forward inner door and the aft inner door form an outer peripheral boundary of the flowpath when the forward inner door and the aft inner door are in the closed arrangement. 
 
     
     
       13. An apparatus for an aircraft propulsion system, comprising:
 an exhaust nozzle including a flowpath, a passage, an outer door, an inner door and an actuator configured to move the outer door and the inner door between an open arrangement and a closed arrangement; 
 the flowpath extending axially along a centerline through the exhaust nozzle; 
 the passage extending laterally into the exhaust nozzle to the flowpath when the outer door and the inner door are in the open arrangement; 
 the outer door comprising a forward end and an aft end defined when the outer door is in the closed arrangement, the aft end of the outer door configured to pivot inwards towards the centerline when the outer door moves from the closed arrangement to the open arrangement; 
 the inner door configured to pivot outwards away from the centerline when the inner door moves from the closed arrangement to the open arrangement; and 
 the outer door configured to pivot between the closed arrangement and the open arrangement about an outer door pivot connection at a forward end of the outer door. 
 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the exhaust nozzle comprises a convergent-divergent nozzle. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the exhaust nozzle comprises an ejector nozzle. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the actuator comprises a linear actuator. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the exhaust nozzle further includes a linkage system motively coupling the actuator to the outer door and the inner door. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus for an aircraft propulsion system, comprising:
 an exhaust nozzle including a flowpath, a passage, an outer door, an inner door and an actuator configured to move the outer door and the inner door between an open arrangement and a closed arrangement; 
 the flowpath extending axially along a centerline through the exhaust nozzle; the passage extending laterally into the exhaust nozzle to the flowpath when the outer door and the inner door are in the open arrangement; 
 the outer door configured to pivot inwards towards the centerline when the outer door moves from the closed arrangement to the open arrangement; 
 a forward end of the inner door configured to pivot outwards away from the centerline when the inner door moves from the closed arrangement to the open arrangement; and 
 the inner door configured to pivot between the closed arrangement and the open arrangement about an inner door pivot connection at an aft end of the inner door. 
 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the exhaust nozzle comprises a convergent-divergent nozzle. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the exhaust nozzle comprises an ejector nozzle.